


The Apple Pie Life (Part III)

by wordstothewisereaders



Series: The Apple Pie Life [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Baker!Dean, DeanCas - Freeform, Destiel - Freeform, Florist!Castiel, Fluff, M/M, SPN - Freeform, as much pining as canon has, we're finally getting somewhere
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-15
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-12-02 08:35:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11505663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordstothewisereaders/pseuds/wordstothewisereaders
Summary: While laying humiliatingly on the floor after falling down the stairs, Cas notices a blank box containing only a dozen cupcakes and a cheesy note. The florist is shocked, especially after his liate night escapades in an attempt to catch the attention of the cute baker across the street. Could Dean really ahve noticed him? Not only that, could he feel the same way? Or is it just a cruel prank from one of his mischievous brothers?





	The Apple Pie Life (Part III)

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is! I think I'm going to do one more part and an epilogue, maybe? What do y'all think?

" _Dammit_!"

A loud thump and a shout could be heard from the street as Cas stumbled down the stairs, tripping over a forgotten storage bin and landed face-first on the floor. He hadn't had his coffee yet, and that usually meant he was prone to accidents from lack of caffeine. 

Slowly and still grumbling, he pulled himself up off the floor, supporting himself on both hands. As he got up, he watched out the glass door, making sure no one saw the incident. That would have been mortifying. He noticed a plain white box on the welcome mat and unlocked the door to retrieve it. Curiously, he carried it back upstairs and opened it in his kitchen. To his surprise (and shock, and delight), he found a dozen elaborately frosted cupcakes. Inside was a note attached:

_You're all that, plus a cherry on top!_

Cas sucked in a startled breath. His heart sped up, and he chastised himself for reacting like a schoolgirl finally making eye contact with her crush.  _Could it be?_

 _No,_ he thought, harshly snapping back into reality, _no, this is some form of mockery. Gabriel did it, or someone that's been watching me. There's no way in hell that Dean did this._

Cas' shoulders sagged as he bit into one of the cupcakes, which he thought was the best he had ever had. The sweetness made the surprise just that more bitter. Surely this was some cruel joke from one of his brothers. There was no other reasonable explanation, or so he thought.  It disappointed him in ways he knew it shouldn't have.

As soon as he finished the pastry, Cas forced himself to get dressed and moped downstairs to open the shop. It was going to be a long-ass day.

***

Customers Cas had interacted with for years came in and out of the shop throughout the day, slamming him for a few hours. The florist was nothing but kind to them, but he wasn't near as warm as he normally was. He couldn't keep his eyes away from the bakery, and, no matter what he tried to do to distract himself, he just couldn't forget the damned box of cupcakes upstairs. He was just about to close up early for the day so that he could lay down before the headache he knew was building peaked but was stopped by the jingle of the bell over the door.

"'Sup, broha?" 

Cas whirled around at the familiar voice, already feeling the distinct tinge of annoyance he always felt around his brother. 

"Gabe." Cas nodded, waiting to ask the question he'd been itching to all day before he combusted.

"Why so serious, Cassy? Looks like your dreams were just shot down or something." Gabriel commented as he leaned against the counter, reaching over for the mini candy bar just in his reach. Cas swatted at him.

"Why don't you tell me, huh?" Cas responded, standly firmly behind his belief that that morning's discovery was of his brother's doing, or at least the culprit had some help from him. Cas had no doubt that word had gotten around through Anna of his harbored...whatever this was, falling right into Gabriel's hands.

"What're you talking about? I haven't seen you in a month, little brother. Thought I'd stop by, but I didn't think you'd be in such a pissy mood. Boyfriend break up with you?" Gabriel said, unknowing of the nerve he was jumping on. 

"Stop pretending and get to the point. Why the hell did you leave me cupcakes and how did you know to?" Cas snapped, tension building in him. With nearly any of his other siblings, the florist was always warm and loving. Even though he wasn't the oldest, he was always the counselor, the caretaker, and essentially the surrogate mother when things were awry and their father was indisposed. Gabriel, though, had always been a little more independent and careless, throwing Cas around as a child - mentally and physically - before pulling him back up again. It caused some discrepancies growing up. 

"Did you get your four hours last night? I have no idea what you're talking about." Gabriel asked, tilting his head in confusion. 

"Stop the act, Gabe. The cupcakes? The cheesy note? "The spontaneously mysterious delivery? It had to be you or Lucifer or anyone else you're in manipulative agreement with." Cas argued, heart starting to sink even more. 

"Really, Cas, no clue. Do you want me to call Luci to vouch for me? Or maybe Anna?" Gabriel said, pulling out his phone. 

Cas fellt his entire body tense, seeing a hint of rarely seen honesty in his brother's eyes before answering, "No, fine. I-I'll figure it out. I'm sorry." 

"Yeah, have fun with your 'fake casanova' or whatever. If you actually find him, call me. See ya, little brother." Gabe said, still looking not quite convinced as he stepped out. 

As soon as he was out of sight, Cas shrugged against the counter.  _Man, I screwed up._

He climbed the stairs wearily, eating a small supper consisting of grilled cheese and one of the amazing mystery cupcakes before crashing in bed, head pounding. He really was going to have to work on his people skills.

***

The next couple of days were dreadful for Cas. He rode the line of indecision. Had it been some heartless prank or had Dean really caught on? And if so, had he not only caught on, but did he actually reciprocate? It made Cas' head hurt even more as he paced the shop. 

Business was painfully slow, leaving the florist plenty of time to mull over his thoughts and devour the remaining ten cupcakes. He served three of his regulars, happy to have the distracting interaction, and pulled together two of his biggest orders. The rest of his time was spent staring out the window. 

The fourth day, however, brought a turn of events. Cas woke up tired - tired of his indecisiveness, tired of his feelings, tired of the unwanted dread. He finally decided to move. What more harm could a little bit of action do than his idleness? 

His patience was growing low by closing time, and he had nearly talked himself out of it by nightfall, the only thing making him act being his exhaustion. 

In the back of the shop, nearly forgotten save for some college kids and elderly ladies, was a shelf of miniature cacti and other plants like them in tiny decorative pots. Cas grabbed one of the smallest aloe plants, writing out the note that would be his last if he wasn't convinced otherwise. He watched Dean lock up for the night and leave before running it over to the shop's front steps, deciding to set it in the more noticeable windowsill. He trudged back with his hands in his pockets, not sure whether to be excited or disheartened. _Damned insecurity._

Now all he could do was wait.

***

The next day passed with an on-edge Castiel. He was unfocused, sad even, because he had pretty much talked himself into accepting defeat. There was no way that Dean liked him back. He had  _never_  had anyone like him back. He hadn't had a date to the prom, much less a significant other. What about that would suddenly change now? 

It wasn't until closing time - the magical hour of 7:00 - that something changed. 

Cas had just turned the open sign to closed and was about to head upstairs to sit on the fire escape to eat dinner and listen to the noise of the nearby city.

That's when he heard the soft knock on the door.


End file.
